DENVER— The Colorado Court of Appeals today affirmed the conviction of Jon Phillips. Phillips was convicted in 2008 of first-degree murder and of child abuse resulting in death. Phillips starved to death his son, Chandler Grafner, and forced him to live in a closet. Phillips appealed his conviction primarily contending his trial was unfair because numerous child hearsay statements were admitted at trial in violation of the federal and state Confrontation Clauses and state rules of evidence. While the Court of Appeals held the first-degree murder and child abuse convictions should run concurrently and not consecutively, Phillips nonetheless will not be eligible for parole. The following statement is to be attributed to Colorado Attorney General John Suthers in reaction to today’s Court ruling.

“This was a very disturbing child abuse case and we are pleased that the Court of Appeals has affirmed the conviction.”